Feeling tired? Limping along? Thanks to Catechesis of the Good Shepherd and a sweet five-year-old, I was reminded that sometimes we simply must allow the Good Shepherd to give us a piggyback ride for a while.
Yikes! “All these evils come from within, and they defile”
“All these evils come from within, and they defile.” – Jesus to the Pharisees
Some research indicates the average woman speaks 20,000 words a day. And man? 7,000. But no matter the number of words uttered, our daily conversations say a lot about the state of our relationships and whether we view our spouses as true partners. Are our conversations more positive than negative? Do our words lift one another up or tear one down? Do they reflect a sense of working together or of working at cross-purposes? Every word that comes out of our mouths has the ability to either undercut or underscore our marriages. To defile or purify. All those words greatly matter when it comes to demonstrating commitment to our spouses. Here are two thoughts on how to purify the “evils from within.”
Memorial Day and the Mass
When we remember together, it takes on a different character. Rather than simply recalling the past, this communal remembrance brings the sacrifice of those who have given their lives for our freedom into the present day. Further, it somehow becomes eternally present whenever we gather to remember.
Does any of this sound familiar? Substitute Jesus for the person(s) you remember today, and this is the essence of the sacred Eucharist.
The 7th Great Antiphon: O Emmanuel — God With Us
December 23: The O Antiphons reflections end today with O Emmanuel or God with us. O Emmanuel, king and lawgiver, desire of the nations, Savior of all people, come and set us free, Lord our God.
The 6th Great Antiphon: O Rex Gentium — King of All the Nations
December 22: The O Antiphons reflections continue with O Rex Gentium or O King of All Nations. O King of all the nations, the only joy of every human heart; O Keystone of the mighty arch of man, come and save the creature you fashioned from the dust.
The 5th Great Antiphon: O Oriens — O Dayspring
December 21 Antiphon: O Oriens (Dayspring) – On the shortest day of the year, the liturgy calls Christ the Dayspring, the Radiant Dawn. Christ is the radiant dawn who brings eternal life. What dark areas in your life need illuminated by Christ’s eternal light?
The 4th Great Antiphon: O Clavis — O Key of David
December 20: The O Antiphons continue with O Clavis or O Key of David. O Key of David, O royal Power of Israel, controlling at your will the gate of heaven: Come, break down the prison walls of death for those who dwell in darkness and the shadow of death; and lead your captive people into freedom.
Catholic Mother’s Companion to Pregnancy – Book Tour & Giveaways
To celebrate the launch of her new book, A Catholic Mother’s Companion to Pregnancy: Walking with Mary from Conception to Baptism, Sarah Reinhard invites us to pray the rosary together. The Practicing Catholic is the eighth stop on her Rosary Blog tour. Today, Sarah shares a reflection on the Wedding Feast at Cana.
The Spiritual Fatherhood of Fr. John Riccardo
In conjunction with Support a Catholic Speaker Month hosted at BrandonVogt.com, Lisa promotes the work of Fr. John Riccardo, a priest in the Archdiocese of Detroit, Michigan.
What’s the Deal with the Sign of Peace
Joel shares a few thoughts about a part of the Mass that causes confusion for many: the sign of peace